New safety boat hits Marblehead waters

Tuesday

Jul 22, 2014 at 12:08 PMJul 22, 2014 at 12:37 PM

By William J. Dowdwdowd@wickedlocal.com

A new boat is allowing the town to provide comprehensive public safety services in Marblehead waters for the first time.Marblehead acquired the 25-foot, $170,000 surplus boat, a “Defender” formerly used by the federal Department of Homeland Security, through the U.S. Coast Guard last year.The boat's acquisition was a collaborative venture between the fire department and Marblehead Harbormaster Webb Russell's office after officials recognized the town's public-safety deficiencies in the harbor.The Coast Guard had stripped the boat of its equipment and engines before handing it over to the town. Firefighter Eric Ridge applied for and landed a $56,000 Port Security Grant in September.That grant money, plus about $13,000 matched by the Harbor and Waters Board, was used this spring to repower and outfit the boat with new equipment and two 225-horsepower engines.The entire project was funded without tax dollars, Russell noted Tuesday while sitting in one of the boat's shock-absorbing seats.The work on the boat was completed two weeks ago. Now that the boat has been launched, the Fire Department and harbormaster can fight fires or conduct rescues on the water 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year for the first time.In the water, a forward-looking infrared camera will come in handy during rescues, according to Russell. The camera picks up heat being emitted by any source in the water, including humans, with the image projected on a video screen in the cabin.“If someone is in the water, you're going to show up as a different color on the screen,” Russell said, adding that the technology will allow responders to see objects in ocean fogs, too.Before the infrared camera was installed on the boat, a small hand-held FLIR unit had been used.Fire Chief Jason Gilliland announced that the boat had been put in the water at the Marblehead Board of Selectmen's Wednesday, July 9 meeting. Board members congratulated everyone involved in the effort.Gilliland called the entire project a “team effort,” which has led to a safer Marblehead Harbor. Gilliland is leading a competition among children to name the boat.The boat will be used in training on fire safety in the water as soon as possible, Russell said, and the town will also use the boat to provide mutual aid whenever feasible, he said.